The following nomination letter was written by Nate Cline, Lieutenant with the Ogden City Police Department:
My name is Nate Cline, I am a Lieutenant with the Ogden City Police Department. I would like to nominate Ogden City Police Officer Zachary Nold for the KSL Beyond the Badge. This letter of recommendation highlights some of the reasons Officer Nold is worthy of such distinction and also recognizes how he is making life better for fellow officers, military veterans, their families and our citizens within our community.
In 2011 Ogden City Police Officer Zachary Nold joined the United States Army Reserves. During the years after his enlistment, his parents Joan and Roger Nold gained an interest in the much deserved issue, concerning the US Military Veterans suicide epidemic. Having been inspired by the “Lone Survivor” story involving Marcus Luttrell, founder of the Lone Survivor Foundation, Joan and Rodger helped raise funds for the Lone Survivor Foundation where a Labrador dog was raffled to raise funds and resulted in the dog becoming a service animal for a veteran. Labs for Liberty was then born and founded by the Nold’s. Labs for Liberty is a non-profit organization with two main objectives. Raise and train Labrador retrievers to be service animals for veterans and help veterans and their families heal through vacation retreats. Labs for Liberty has also become a healing agent for our local law enforcement community.
Officer Zachary Nold hired on with the Ogden City Police Department August 25th 2014. Not only has Officer Nold been a great asset and member of the department he has carried on his and his family’s passion through Labs for Liberty. Officer Nold has taken his board of director’s experience with Labs for Liberty and extended an organizational olive branch to
members of the law enforcement family and community veterans in need. Officer Nold’s enthusiasm to help is over whelming. His positive attitude is infections and shows through several of the events he has been involved in. Officer Nold and his family quickly recognized how their organization could benefit their surrounding community. Understanding that police officers also face hardships when involved in a traumatic event, Labs for Liberty has been able to donate several dogs to law enforcement officers in need. Service animals are not only used to assist
officers and veterans they are also a very important component in the healthy recovery and function of their families. Officer Nold’s passion has also created an avenue for law enforcement officers to become involved in community charitable events as well.
Officer Nold has continued to use his experience and connections to provide service animals and vacation retreats via the organizations “Liberty Outpost” which is a guesthouse located in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, where officers, veterans, teammates and their families can relax, receive assistance and re-discover ways to successfully integrate back into the community.
The organization also offers a way for community members to get actively involved in the healing process. Community members volunteer their services to assist, giving the community a direct link to take action and be part of the solution for their law enforcement community and military veterans in need of assistance. Examples include community members volunteering horses for rides, citizens volunteering to cook meals and fishing guides donating services for the individuals and family members.
Officer Nold’s story is more of an underlying appreciation for his law enforcement family and the realization that law enforcement has a large impact on its surrounding communities and the members within the community. Keeping our law enforcement officers and military veterans healthy and viable has a huge impact on the lasting relationships within the community. Officer Nold receives no compensation for his efforts nor has he ever asked for it, which is all the better reason he be nominated for such recognition. We are proud to have such an active and charitable officer within our ranks. Thank You.